The Deputy Secretary of State and Environment said yesterday in Vila do Bispo that he is "ready to convey the matter" of the Algarve's concerns with the prospecting and possible exploitation of hydrocarbons by his "colleague", adding that he had even received the Assembly's motions in his hands. Vila do Bispo Municipal and Parish Council.
The ruler spoke at the end of the «I Seminar Potentials of a Municipality/Vila do Bispo in a single day…», which took place yesterday. In his speech, José Mendes defended the need to "decarbonize the economy and decarbonize territories", which immediately raised a buzz in the room, since, despite this not being the official theme of the seminar, many of the speakers throughout the day raised the issue of the negative impacts of hydrocarbon research in the Algarve, namely in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, on land and at sea.
"If I had to choose a word to define my Ministry [of the Environment], it would be decarbonizing", repeated the Secretary of State, adding that "decarbonizing has everything to do with Vila do Bispo", which is making "a path that is based on in enhancing its environmental values'.
José Mendes also said that “decarbonising” is “what makes territories visible in the European and international context, even in terms of being eligible for funding”.
At the end, on the sidelines of the session, the journalists wanted to know how this "decarbonization of territories and the economy", defended by the Ministry of Environment, can be made compatible with the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Algarve, which, in the recent words of Prime Minister António Costa, it is to continue.
"What I said was a general statement, which fits very well in relation to the strategy of various regions of the Algarve and Vila do Bispo in particular," replied Secretary of State José Mendes.
Regarding the issue of concessions for research and exploration of hydrocarbons, the government official underlined: "this is a topic that is not within my competence, I do not control this matter and I do not know enough to comment", adding that he still does not know "what mitigating measures is at stake».
In response to the journalists' insistence, the Deputy Secretary of State for the Environment only replied: "It's not bad will, I don't protect this area, I don't know this dossier." In the end, the government official also spoke with residents in the area, who expressed their concerns to him.
For his part, Adelino Soares, mayor of Vila do Bispo, recalled that “the position of the municipality is very clear: I am against”.
The socialist mayor said that the eventual exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Algarve «is absolutely not in line with what we have been here today to disclose, which are the potential of a territory, which lives essentially from nature tourism. This is the industry that we have and it is with this industry that we want to continue to live, in a peaceful way and with future guarantees that what we are valuing today will not be put to waste with this exploration tomorrow».
Adelino Soares reaffirmed his position "in a personal capacity, as the mayor of Vila do Bispo, and as a member of AMAL, where we were all unanimously against".
But, on a day when the Algarve was visited by more government officials, the issue of oil prospecting was not limited to Vila do Bispo.
At the award ceremony of the Gold and Merit Medals of Tourism of the Algarve, in Faro, the president of the Algarve Tourism Region Desidério Silva said he was not going to talk about prospecting for oil in the Algarve, "because he is sure that there will be good sense" and that this industry, which is fundamental to the economy of the country, will not be put at risk. region and country.
On the sidelines of the session, he explained to the Sul Informação the reason for this optimism. "I believe that in this issue, like the railway, tolls, the Port of Portimão and VAT on restaurants, there are positive differentiating factors that will emerge, because otherwise, many people will be disappointed."
“I want to believe that, because I trust the Secretary of State for Tourism and I've talked to her several times since she took office. We had the opportunity to talk about the problems already diagnosed and in relation to which we want to intervene», he added.
In the session, the Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho did not refer to the matter, despite the motto given by the president of the RTA.
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